Overhead switch



(No Model.)

D. GAUL. OVERHEAD SWITCH.

No. 596,401. Patented Dec. 28,1897.

'15 M 7 8 m a 810 g zs 115W 9 Z6 :90 12 NITED STATES,

DAVID GAUL, OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA.

OVERHEAD SWITCH.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 596,401, dated December 28, 1897.

Application filed March 23, 1897. Serial No. 628,874. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, DAVID GAUL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Los Angeles, in the county of Los Angeles and State of California, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Overhead Switches, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to improvements in overhead switches in connection with overhead tracks for packing-houses and other uses; and my invention consists in certain features of novelty hereinafter described and claimed.

Figure I is a plan view showing my improved switch connecting with an overhead track. Fig. II is a detail side elevation showing manner of operating the switch-block. Fig. III is a detail view showing pulley and rope for operating the switch. Fig. IV is a detail view showing crank for turning the switch. Fig. V is a detail view of portion of the slotted arm connecting the crank with the pulley. Fig. VI represents a plan view of the switch-support and to which the switch-block is pivoted.

Referring to the drawings, 1 represents my improved switch-block, having a straight section2 of overhanging track and a curved section 3, said block being movable on a pivotal bearing, so as to throw either the curved section of the track or the straight section into alinement with a fixed curved section or a fixed straight section.

4 5 represent different portions of a fixed straight section of track having an intervenin g space, which is bridged at will by turning the block 1, as shown in dotted lines, Fig. I, until the straight section 2 comes into alinement with the fixed straight sections 4: 5, thus permitting the hanger-wheels 6 to pass over the straight section of the switch. If it is desired to run the hanger-wheels in connection with whatever they may support onto the sidetrack 7, the switch-block is thrown into the position shown in full lines, Fig. I, with the curved sectional track 3 on the switch-block coinciding with the straight section 4: and the side section 7.

8 represents a crank having a long arm 9 and a short arm 10, the long arm 9 being secured to a boss 11 by means of a set-screw 12 to the switch-block 1, said crank being movably supported by means of a bracket 13, connected to an overhead frame 14..

15 represents a two-part connecting-bar having central slots 16.

17 represent pins passing through the slots 16, said pins being secured therein by means of wedged-shaped keys 18. The inner end of the bar 15 is secured at 19 by means of a key 20 to the short arm 10 of the crank 8. The opposite end of the bar 15 is secured by a pin 21 to an operating disk or pulley 22, said pulley being provided with a peripheral groove 23, in which rests a rope 24, having its ends extending downward from both sides of the pulley and having handles 25 on the lower ends for operating the pulley, said rope being fixed to the pulley at 26. The pulley is journaled at 27 to a bracket 28, said bracket being supported by the frame 14:.

29 represents pins extending outwardly from the bracket 28 on either side of the pulley 22, the pins serving to limit the downward movement of the outer end of the bar 15.

30 represents a curved switch-support havinga central fiat portion 31, to which the block 1 is pivoted at 32, the outer face of said support being curved to conform with the curved sect-ion 3 of the switch-block and to form a resting-support for said block. When the block 1 is manipulated so that the curved section 3 comes into alinement with the curved track, it is arrested in its rotation by means of a projection 33 coming in contact with the end of the side-track, as shown at 34. When the block is thrown into the other position, as shown in the dotted lines, Fig. I, it is arrested in its rotation by means of a like projection 35, that comes in contact with the end of the straight portion 4, thus arresting the movement of the block in this direction.

In operation when it is desired to throw the switch-block from the position shown in dotted lines to the position shown in full lines, Fig. I, or vice'versa, all that is necessary to do isto seize one handle 25 of the ropes 24, according to the direction in which the block is to be turned, pulling down upon the same, thus causing the disk 22 to partially rotate, operating the bar 15 and turning the crank connecting-bar 15 falling below the pivoted I point 27 of the pulley 22, (see dotted lines, Fig.II,) said bar being arrested from traveling below said point to any extent by means of the 1 projecting pins 29, it being impossible when the bar 15 has reached its extreme limit in either direction to be moved without rotating the pulley 22. The arm 15 is slotted and made in two parts, so that the device can be adjusted as to length according to convenience. In securing the supporting parts the crank 8 is also adjustable by means of the set-screw 12 in its attachment to the block 1, so as to give said block any degree of movement found desirable.

I claim as my invention 1. The combination of a supporting-fram e, a pendent bracket secured to the frame, the crank having a long arm and a short arm, and supported by the bracket,a straight track, a side-track, a switch-block havmg stops for limiting its movement, and also having a straight-track section and a curved-track section, and secured to the long arm, and means support, and means connected with the short arm. for turning the switch-block; substantially as described.

3. The combination of a switch-block having one or more track-sections, a crank connected with the block, an operating-disk, a connecting-bar connected with the operatingdisk, a bracket for supporting said disk, and pins on the bracket for limiting the downward movement of the connecting-bar, substantially as set forth.

4. The combination of a switch-block having one or more track-sections, a crank for rotating the switch-block, an operating-disk, cords for operating said disk, and a two-part slotted connecting-bar connecting the disk with the crank, substantially as set forth.

5. The combination of a switch-block having a straight-track section, a curved-track section, means for turning said block in a horizontal plane and a switch-support to which said block is pivoted, said switch-support having its outer face curved to correspond with the curved section and extending the full length of the curved-track section, thus forming a continuous bearing for the same, substantially as set forth.

6. In an overhead switch the combination of an operating-plate, a switch-block pivoted to the same, a crank connected with the switch-block, an operating-disk, an arm connecting the crank with the operating disk, and means for arresting the movement of the outer end of the operating-arm at a point below the center of the disk in order to prevent the accidental displacement of the switchblock, substantially as set forth.

DAVID GAUL.

Witnesses:

J. W. KEMP, J AS. E. KNIGHT. 

